The Invasion

Whoever did this I'm very certain would have had a master plan. They knew Prince Liam would not be in the palace at that very time and so they attacked. It was believed that nobody, not even the strongest sorcerer could ever penetrate Akalon with the presence of Prince Liam and so these people I'm sure had waited for a moment of his absence to strike. And fearfully, this was the work of dark magic and now we're in danger.

"Albert... No....!" Queen Charlotte screamed on seeing her husband in trouble and rushed towards the motionless King Albert. "Albert... Albert" she pushed him back and forth in an attempt to wake him up but he didn't respond.

"Your Majesty please you have to get into your carriage, we'll take care of the king." One of the guards said.

"No... I can't let him stay on the floor." Queen Charlotte said amidst tears.

"We'll get him up. He'll be fine my queen I promise." The guard said.

"Mother, please listen to him. We can't let anything happen to you too. Please get into the carriage." I said in a convincing voice.

"Nardin... Nardin I..." The queen couldn't speak but cry.

"I know but it's okay. Your safety is important to us right now. Let us trust Liam, I'm sure he can handle this." I said. The queen slowly backed away from the king and got into her carriage. The guards lifted the king and laid him close to the queen who couldn't help but stare and try to wake him up.

Soon Liam made his way out of the palace and to us. "Coast is clear, but I sus..." He was still speaking when he noticed his Father's absence. "Father? Mother where's father?" He asked not taking a notice of his father lying on his mother's laps."

"He's here Liam. Your father is lying here." The Queen said in a very sad voice.

Liam quickly rushed to see his father, on seeing his father he, first of all, checked his pulse.

"Is he still... Is he... Is he still alive?" The queen asked fearfully.

"Yes but in a very critical state." Prince Liam responded. "Who did this?" He went further to ask.

"We didn't see them. He was... He was speaking before... before he suddenly stopped and that was it." Queen Charlotte responded amidst her tears.

Liam looked so angry, he glared in a particular direction outside the palace before he spoke. "Guards, take them into the palace and see to their safety. I'll be right back." He said and started to head towards that direction he was glaring.

"Where are you going?" I asked but he completely ignored me and slowly disappeared into the darkness.

"Get the palace physician right away." The queen said to one of the maids and the maid bowed and ran off. The guards brought the king out of the carriage and we all headed into the castle. Our servants were all lying unconsciously on the floor when we made our way in.

"Are... Are they dead?" I asked.

"No my princess." One of the guards who had checked their pulses responded.

After the physician arrived, he went straight to the king's chambers where I have seated with Queen Charlotte. He started to examine the king critically.

"What happened your majesty?" He asked the queen.

"I don't know. Maybe something abstruse. It just happened. We were all together waiting outside in our carriage when he suddenly dropped to the ground. There was no sign of any attack. He just... Just... He just flopped down in front of us all." Queen Charlotte responded.

"I see." The physician responded. "My lady what I'm about to tell you now is quite arcane." He started.

"Okay." Queen Charlotte responded.

"Where's Prince Liam?" He asked.

"Oh he... he ahh... he... I don't know." Queen Charlotte said.

"Oh. Anyways my queen, after examining the king's body and hearing your story, one thing only explains this. Magic and not just any magic your majesty... A very powerful dark magic only a few may control." He said.

"So what does that mean?" She asked.

"The king cannot be cured without the black black from the black river." He said.

"The black river? It takes seven days to get there and return to Akalon." The queen freaked out.

"I know that your majesty." He replied.

"There must be some other way Zed."

"There is no other way your majesty, this spell was cast by a none magical creature."

"You just said a powerful magic that only a few could control."

"That few must not necessarily be magical creatures, your majesty."

"And how's that even possible? Powerful magic or spell or whatever being cast by someone who has not even a knowledge of magic."

"I told you before, this is very arcane." Zed responded.

Zed was an old man who has been the palace physician for over fifty years of his life. He started serving the palace at a very young age and so the queen could vouch he was certain of whatever he was saying.

"Zed, is he going to die?" Queen Charlotte asked.

"Eventually without treatment your majesty." Zed responded.

"How much time... How much time does he have?"

"Two days, three at most." Zed responded.

Queen Charlotte sighed. "Leave us alone. All of you." She ordered.

Being the only ones in the king's room, Zed and I walked out.

"What about the servants? Will they die too?" I asked. I had kept mute the whole time in the king's room wondering what could be going on.

"They'll be fine. Their spell is different from the king's. With time theirs will wear off." Zee responded as we walked down the hallway.

"Who do you think is responsible for this?" I asked Zed.

"I do not know that my princess...."

"Please, it's Nardin," I said sharply as Zed chuckled.

"I do not know that Nardin but I know Akalon has a lot of enemies." He responded.

"You mean king Albert has a lot of enemies?" I asked to be sure.

"No, the throne." He responded.

I couldn't understand what he meant by the throne having a lot of enemies. Well, that was quite a mystery but then I knew Liam could handle it, for me I had bigger problems to handle. My sisters especially Maya who I'd just seen today.

That night, Irene helped me with my hot shower. Prince Liam wasn't back yet and queen Charlotte had insisted to be left alone with her husband king Albert so I begged Irene to stay just a few more minutes with me before she finally leaves.

"I saw Maya today." I said to Irene.

"Who? Maya your sister?" Irene asked in surprise.

"Yes. She walked in as one of the Queens of Avira kingdom but she suddenly disappeared alongside other Queens. I couldn't have the time to speak to her."

"Is she okay?" Irene asked, "what did she look like when you saw her?"

"Unhappy, sad, tired, weak, she looked really bad." I said.

"I'm sure you'll find her and Gwen someday and just know that I'll always be here for you." Irene said and pulled me in for a hug.

"Thank you so much, Irene." I said.

I slept off that night before Irene turned off the candles in my room and left, but in the middle of the night I woke up to the smell of something burning.

I opened my eyes to see that my room was on fire.